>> let's touch base. >> yeah. we will touch base. will, you know, that was fun. >> that was fun. >> okay. kids, that's it. president obama weighs what could be the most important and difficult decision of his presidency, whether to syria in response to a chemical weapons attack on the ground. this is special report. good evening. i'm bret baier. the russians are warning us off. syria is promising chaos if we do it, but president obama tonight is said to be considering a military response to the latest chemical weapons attacks in syria. we have fox team coverage tonight. jennifer griffin is at the

pentagon. but we begin with chief white house correspondent, ed henry on the politics of the syria crisis both here and overseas and where we are right now. good evening, ed. >> reporter: good evening. they believe that not only that chemical weapons were used but that they can pin it on the sire yan -- syrian government. secretary john kerry flatly declared president obama believes there must be accountability for the use of what he called the world's most heinous weapons. >> what we saw in syria last week should shock the conscience of the world. it defies any code of morality. let me be clear. the indiscriminate slaughter of civilians, the killing of women and children and innocent bystanders by chemical weapons is a moral obscenity. >> reporter: kerry's strong response came as u.n. inspectors

were finally let in. syrian dictator assad blocked entry for five days. and they seemed to make the legal case for military action declaring the evidence against assad is grounded in fact. >> there is a reason why president obama has made clear to the assad regime that this international norm cannot be violated without consequences. >> reporter: the president is under intense pressure to act after first sketching the red line on the use of chemical weapons at a news conference one year ago this month. and today republican senator john mccain kept the heat on, noting that since last summer assad had already used chemical weapons on a smaller scale. >> now here's the second time. horrific, horrific. and if the united states stands by and doesn't take very serious action, not just launching some cruise missiles, then, again,

our credibility in the world is diminished even more, if there's any left. >> reporter: some military analysts warn the president has been agonizing over the wrong red line. saying today, quote, the key challenge in syria is scarcely to end the use of chemical weapons. the real challenge is some 120,000 dead, another 200 plus,000 wounded and as many as 20% of its 22.5 million people have been displaced inside the country or are living outside it as refugees. now spokesman jay carney responded by saying the august 21st attack was a specific atrocity -- that's the word he used -- that violates international norms. he says there has to be a response, but he would not speculate on what that next step would be. the pentagon is said to be in a watch and wait mode tonight. and there are plenty of debates going on about just how strong a u.s. military response should

be. national security correspondent jennifer griffin looks at the options. >> reporter: four u.s. navy destroyers are now positioned in the mediterranean. the uss gravely, mahan are awaiting orders and could launch tomahawk missiles. the pentagon is awaiting a decision by the president. >> if there's any action taken, it will be in concert with the international community and within the framework of legal justification. >> reporter: the office of speaker john boehner says the president has yet to brief congress. if u.s. action is imminent, it is our hope that the president doesn't forget his obligations to congress but also to speak directly to the american people. no u.s. aircraft carriers are being sent to the mediterranean, and the u.s. does not seem to be planning for an extensive air campaign.

martin dempsey has warned repeatedly that to carry out regime change in syria would include billions of dollars and troops. they say there are less costly options, estimating an initial strike would require just three u.s. navy vessels and 24 u.s. navy and air force jets to degrade assad's six primary air bases. >> two of those, we can take down all six, plus the munitions and the fuel depot and also kill the airplanes. dramatically reduces air power. and he pays a huge price for the use of chemical weapons. >> reporter: a short time ago, speaker boehner spoke warning that if the u.s. plan does use military action he must have clearly defined objectives. let's go more in depth now on the situation in syria. joining me, the senior research

analyst at the institute for the study of war where she focuses on security and politics. i know you're just back from syria. just back a few days ago. one of the big questions is, who are these rebel forces? i guess the thing that you say is that there are a bunch of different groups in this overall rebel forces group. >> right. absolutely. i think one of the largest reasons i was prevented fwrart u.s. involvement in syria is the idea of who are the opposition. we have no idea who they are. it's a disparate frack shus group. little values that are in line with the u.s. interests. there are a number of groups. however, these groups have come together in various alliances and rebel formations that many of which are very much aligned with u.s. interests and that are looking to implement a democratic and pluralis

particular vision for syria. >> as you look at one of the maps you provided, the breakup of the different groups, in the north and the south, these green areas are rebel-held areas. the orange areas are regime held. and the dark green are kind of extremist groups. talk about the importance there of the -- down south there you see those two dots in the southern part of syria. that's damascus. and the southern part. what's the importance of the disparity between the two of them? >> there's a really important difference between, within the character of the opposition operating in the north and the opposition operating in the south. what you actually see is that the extremists have tended to proliferate in northern areas where they have access to humanitarian aid and resource distribution. what this has meant is they're focusing more on governance and

control. what this essentially means is that if the u.s. is looking to engage more with the opposition, that is fighting on the front lines, there is actual, a gee aftercal divide between the more extreme groups and there's very much a moderate and fully functioning opposition that is operating out of the south and can be very much supported. and has demonstrated its ability to do so. >> as you look at the different groups, and this is, i think, where people don't really know what the situation is on the ground. but as you look at all of these different groups, this key here are the northern front, the homes front, the southern front, the western front and the eastern front. the yellow and the blue and red there. >> so you actually have within the u.s. backed partners, you have this premilitary council. and you have this syrian liberation front.

this is the largest rebel alliance, and it provides most of the field commanders that the u.s. is working with and has promised to back in terms of lethal and military assistance. as you can see on the graphic they incorporate the majority of rebel groups operating in each of the five fronts across syria the extremist groups seem to be much smaller in numbers. >> let's put that graphic back up there. the red are the extremist groups in that list. and you see the red blocks. the blue are what? okay guys? >> the blue is the syrian islamic front, and this front is actually a group of morr islami groups and have proven themselves at times willing to work with the more moderate opposition and other times unwilling to do so.

these are the groups that are on the fence so to speak. but in many ways have shown that when the capacity is behind the more moderate groups are more than willing to submit themself does a general chain of command under those moderate forces. >> okay. as you detail it, there are more good guy groups that the u.s. can work with outnumbering the extremist elements by far? >> right. absolutely. and i think that the point has been made in the press that either side, whether the regime or rebel, there's really no side fighting for u.s. interests, and, again, i think what i've tried to show through this research and by traveling around with many of these rebel groups is that there are actually a majority of the opposition that would be in line with u.s. interests. >> let's quickly take a look at damascus operations there. this key, this map has the regime held areas in green. and the rebel held areas in orange. where the chemical weapons attack that they're now saying was definitively a chemical

weapons attack was to the right of the screen where the orange is. >> the chemical weapon attack targeted the large area of rebel control within damascus city itself. and i think this is a really critical point. because in many ways it was used as a tactic to prepare for an offensive into that rebel territory. >> so the whole line that assad is winning, why would he have to use chemical weapons if he's winning? how would you answer that? >> my answer would be that assad is not winning. there has been an overemphasis of his homss front. but what that has meant is that the regime has left critical vulnerabilities, leaving openings for the opposition in aleppo and in damascus. >> if the united states does

some action with a coalition that includes tomahawk cruise missiles, perhaps it's not extensive. how do you think that would translate to these groups on the ground and their ability to wage a successful campaign against assad? >> i think the key thing is that any action the u.s. engages on needs to have some sort of tragic objective. it needs to be more than a punitive measure, and this is partly because this is a real turning point for the population and the opposition in terms of the impact of these more radical and extremist groups. and this could be a really critical turning point in terms of an irreversible process of radicalization by which those moderate forces that are very much active and are currently serving as the bulk of the forces could quickly be taken over in terms of ideology by the extremist groups. >> thank you. it's fascinating. and you're going back to the region very soon. please keep us in the loop on

what you've learned. >> yes. thank you for having me. issues that divide americans, civil rights and voter id laws. but first, here's what some of our affiliates are covering. fox 7 with the latest on the sentencing phase of the ft. hood massacre, nadal hassan could get the death penalty. and this is a live look at eden prairie, minnesota. the big story there tonight, the heat wave in that area. temperatures were forecast to approach a record 98 in the twin cities today with humidity making it feel like 100 to 110. that's pretty hot for those minnesotaens. that's a live look from outside the beltway from special report. we'll be right back. chances are,

you're not made of money, so don't overpay for at insurance. geico, you're not made of money, see how much you could save. they're the days to take care of business.. when possibilities become reality. with centurylink as your trusted partner, our visionary cloud infrastructure and global broadband network free you to focus on what matters. with custom communications solutions and responsive, dedicated support, we constantly evolve to meet your needs. every day of the week. centurylink® your link to what's next. she was a picky eater. we now i'm her dietitian... ...anlast year, she wasn'tating so well. so i recommended boost complete nutritional drink

to help her get the nutrition she was missing. and now she drinks it every day. well, it tastes great! [ male announcer ] boost drink has 26 essential vitamins and minerals, including calcium and vitamin d to support strong bones, and 10 grams of protein to help maintain muscle. and now boost comes in two delicious, new bars. look for them next to boost drinks. [ dietitian ] now, nothing keeps mom from doing what she loves... ...being my mom.

president obama met today with faith leaders to discuss the civil rights movement, where it's been and where it's going. there's a big anniversary coming up that coincides to a huge backlash about voting rights. >> reporter: when president obama marks the 50th anniversary of the march on washington this week, his supporters will be expecting tough language from him on the growth of state voter id laws. attorney general eric holder is among those fearing the 1965 voting rights act is being stripped-down. >> this struggle must and will go on in the cause of our nation's quest for justice. until every eligible american has the chance to exercise his or her right to vote, unencumbered by discriminatory or unneeded procedures, rules or practices. >> reporter: with the justice department filing suit last week against texas to stop

implementation of its voert id law, leading texans are accusing holder of living in the past. >> this is deeply depressing to see the chief law enforcement officer in the country use partisan politics -- and that's all it is -- to drive a wedge between americans based on race and ethnicity. it's really sad because it has come a long way. >> reporter: a photo id is required to enter many government buildings, planes, buy alcohol, cigarettes and more. some say you cannot function in today's society without id. >> lack, if you want to apply for welfare, food stamps, aiage many, many things you have to use it for. and just about everyone has an id. >> reporter: this month, north carolina passed a tougher law that requires voter id, reduces the early voting period and ends same day registration. they say this will alienate

voters republicans need. >> these kind of procedures are put in place and slow the process down. i think it's going to backfire. because these people are going to come out and do what they have to do in order to vote. >> reporter: some conservatives note that powell didn't note that -- thank you. a german publication says america's national security agency cracked the code of the united nations' internal video conferencing network last year. that led to the significant jump in the nsa's reporting on the u.n. a u.n. spokesman says the bugging violates international agreements. they say they will not respond to the documents and that the u.s. engages in the same intelligence gathering activities as other nations. the keystone pipeline decision could be pushed back to

2014. however, a published report is dispute thad an inspector general's inquiry into a possible conflict of interest involving a contractor is holding things up. they don't deny the potential delay. still ahead -- is america running out of doctors? first, how the veterans administration actually encourages employees to take the easy way out at the veterans' expense. i'm angela, and i didn't think i could quit smoking but chantix helped me do it. i told my doctor i think i'm... i'm ready. [ male announcer ] along with support, chantix (varenicline) is proven to help people quit smoking. it reduces the urge to smoke. i knew that i could smoke for the first 7 days. i knew that i wasn't putting nicotine back into my body to try to quit. [ male announcer ] some people had changes in behavior, thinking or mood, hostility, agitation, depressed mood and suicidal thoughts or actions while taking or after stopping chantix. if you notice any of these, stop chantix and call your doctor right away. tell your doctor about any history of mental health problems, which could get worse while taking chantix.

don't take chantix if you've had a serious allergic or skin reaction to it. if you develop these, sp chantix and see your doctor right away as some can be life-threatening. tell your doctor if you have a history of heart or blood vessel problems, or if you develop new or worse symptoms. get medical help right away if you have symptoms of a heart attack or stroke. use caution when driving or operating machinery. common side effects include nausea, trouble sleeping and unusual dreams. if i could describe being a nonsmoker, i would say "awesome." [ male announcer ] ask your doctor if chantix is right for you. like carpools... polly wants to know if we can pick her up. yeah, we can make room. yeah. [ male announcer ] ...office space. yes, we're loving this communal seating. it's great. [ male announcer ] the best thing to share? a data plan. at&t mobile share for business. one bucket of data for everyone on the plan, unlimited talk and text on smart phones. now, everyone's in the spirit of sharing. hey, can i borrow your boat this weekend? no. [ male announcer ] share more. save more. at&t mobile share for business. ♪

lookin' good, flo! feelin' good! feelin' real good! [ engine revs ] boat protection people love. now, that's progressive. call or click today.

a second teenager has been arrested in connection with the murder last week of an 88 year old world war ii veteran. delbert benton was attacked and robbed in a spokane, washington

parking lot. investigators say two african-american 16 year oweds attacked him. we've been telling you for months about how difficult it is for some veterans to get the medical attention they need and deserve. tonight, chief washington correspondent james rosen has the amazing story about how some of the people who fail to provide that service are actually rewarded. >> reporter: america ven rates her wounded warriors, but scar federal dollars often flow more swiftly to desk bound civilians. we found that in tlifl, va claims processors received 5.5 million in performance incentive bonuses. even the number of claims took four months to process. >> these aren't tied to outcomes

of veterans and their claims but instead how many can you push out, deny or approve to meet a certain number so you get your bonus, regardless of whether the backlog is addressed. >> reporter: bonuses were awarded to 40% of its staff, while the oakland office forced to shut down, gave out 33 thousand in bonuses. in washington, d. krfrmts, the va's construction chief received almost 55,000 in bonuses despite major cost overruns at va building projects. >> they didn't tell you why you deserved a bonus? >> no. the bonus came down in my paycheck. >> reporter: a regional office director in feeness received $53,000 in bonuses, while the director of the va medical center in dayton received almost $12,000 in bonuses despite them

having been exposed to had hiv. we'll continue to follow this story. james, thank you. the rising cost of crime, the high profits for obamacare alumni and lowering the bar for jury service. all that and more. the grape fine is up next. nt's . you can be more confident in your ability to be ready. and the same cialis is the only daily ed tablet approved to treat ed and symptoms obph, like needing to go frequently or urgently. tell your doctor about all your medical conditions and medications, and ask your heart is healthy enough for sexual activity. do not take cialis if you take nitrates for chest pain, as this may cause an unsafe drop in blood pressure. do not drink alcohol in excess with cialis. side effects may include headache, upset stomach,

delayed backache or muscle ache. to avoid long-term injury, seek immediate medical help for an erection lasting more than 4 hours. if you have any sudden decrease or loss in hearing or vision, or iyou have any allergic reactions such as rash, hives, swelling of the lips, tongue or throat, or difficulty breathing or swallowing, stop taking cialis and get medical help right away. ask your doctor about cialis for daily use and a 30-tablet free trial.

when you do what i do, iyou think about risk.. i don't like the ups and downs of the market, but i can't just sit on my cash. i want to be prepared for the long haul. ishares minimum latility etfs. investments designed for a smoother ride. find out why 9 out of 10 large professional investors choose ishares for their etfs. ishares by blackrock. call 1-800-ishares for a prospectus, which includes investment objectives,risks, . read and consider it carefully before investing. risk includes possible loss of principal.

and now some fresh pickings from the political grapevine. in the united states you have the right to be judged by a jury of your peers. in california, that group could now include noncitizens. governor brown has not said yet whether he will sign the measure. the bill's sponsor dislikened the rules disqualifying immigrants to blacks. they say it's like putting the c cart in front of the horse. temporary visa holders and undocumented immigrants would not be eligible. lobbyists who have first hand experience in obamacare are ranging it in. more than 30 administration

official, lawmakers and congressional staffers who helped forge the law have set up shop. they represent corporate giants and health care companies now. watchdogs say the rise of the obamacare lobbyists is another example of the revolving door that turns it into wealth. it is said crime does not pay. in new york city as the new york post reports, it cost as fortune. the independent budget office found that the city spent, get this, $167,000 per inmate last year. the average cost for inmate covers additional expenses like staff salaries and facility maintenance. it could be worse. incarceration numbers now about 12,000 people or half what they were at their peak in the early 1990s crack epidemic.

we are already experiencing a doctor shortage and experts say it's only going to get worse in the coming years. jim angle reports we may soon be asking is there a doctor in the house. >> reporter: 10,000 baby boomers retire every day for the next 19 years, including many doctors. meaning just as the new health care law increases demand, the supply of physicians will be dropping. >> we have more americans that are getting older that need more health care. and with the 30 million americans that are newly insured with the affordable care act, more people are looking for primary care. >> reporter: in fact, medical colleges predict a huge shortage of more than 90,000 physicians by 2020 and 130,000 plus by 2025. >> almost a third of family doctors in rural america are thinking about retiring in the next five years. >> baby boomer physicians are retiring and dropping out of the

system. on top of that, there are doctors that are frustrated with the bureaucracy involved that they're retiring early. >> just because you have health insurance you therefore get adequate health care and you'll have access to it. i think nothing to be further from the truth. >> reporter: they did set up 230 million to increase medical residents, nurses and physicians' assistants, especially nurses. >> there's a lot of stuff they can do in a way that frankly is cheaper than having a doctor do it. >> reporter: those efforts will create 100 new primary care workers by 2015. but analysts argue that's not nearly enough. >> in boston right now, where they say they have universal coverage, the wait for a patient to see a new doctor is two months, and that's the longest wait in the whole country. >> the health care law put more money into irs agents to enforce

the law, but not that same focus on training doctors and nurses and others to take care of patients. >> reporter: several states have passed laws to let nurses and physician assistants play a larger role, but those won't produce tens of thousands of doctors to help the tsunami of those insured under obamacare. the ten year old pennsylvania girl who had double lung transplants this summer could leave the hospital as soon as tomorrow. her parents sued over rules that placed their daughter at the bottom of the adult transplant list because of her age of the girl's body rejected the first set of lungs. she is now said to be doing much better. and that is great news. to fight or not to fight? president obama weighs the options on syria. we'll discuss it all with the fox all-stars when we come back. let me get it. uh-uh-uh. i don't want you to pay for this. it's not happening, honey. let her get it. she got her safe driving bonus check from allstate last week. and it's her treat.

what about a tip? oh, here's one... get an allstate agent. nice! [ female announcer ] switch today and get two safe driving bonus checks a year for driving safely. only from allstate. call 866-905-6500 now. here we go! hold on man. is that a leak up there? that's a drip. whoo. okay. aah. now that's a leak. that is a leak! and if you don't have allstate renters insurance... game over. [ female announcer ] protect your valuables from things like water damage for as low as $4 a month when you add renters insurance to your allstate auto policy. call 866-905-6500 now. plus, drivers who switched saved an average of $498 a year. just a few more ways allstate is changing car insurance for good. [ female announcer ] call an allstate agent and get a quote now.

[ babies crying ] surprise -- your house was built on an ancient burial ground. [ ghosts moaning ] surprise -- your car needs a new transmission. [ coyote howls ] how about no more surprises? now you can get all the online trading tools you need without any surprise fees. ♪ it's not rocket science. it's just common sense. from td ameritrade. the president will be making

an informed decision about how to respond to this indiscrim nat use of chemical weapons. but make no mistake, president obama believes there must be accountability for those who would use the world's most heinous weapons against the world's most vulnerable people. nothing today is more serious, and nothing is receiving more serious scrutiny. >> if the united states stands by and doesn't take very serious action, not just launching some cruise missiles, then, again, our credibility in the world is diminished even more, if there's any left. >> the message out of the state department today from secretary of state kerry and from the white house today is that they have definitive evidence, evidence against president assad that is quote, grounded in fact, that he did use chemical weapons. and now, we wait to see what the

response is. meantime, the russians continue to push back and say the u.s. should not move so fast. >> translator: they have announced it officially in washington, london and paris that they have inconvertible evidence. they cannot produce evidence but keep on saying that the red line has been crossed. and they cannot wait any longer. >> with that, let's bring in our panel tonight. steve hayes, and charles krauthammer. >> i think that military action will be taken. i don't think you can say a red line has been crossed as many times as the president has said and not do anything. i think the question is what kind of military action and what will the result be? will it freeze the parties in place? will it prevent assad from

winning and keep a frozen stalemate in syria? which might be the best outcome right now as long as they are convinced that the rebels present an alternative that is in the united states best interest. >> steve, today, u.n. weapons inspectors traveled into the area in damascus and snipers fired on one of the vehicles, an attack that kerry said further undercuts assad's credibility. take a listen. >> for five days, the syrian regime refused to allow the u.n. investigators access to the site of the attack that would allegedly exonerate them. instead, it attacked the area further, shelling it, and systematically destroying evidence. that is not the behavior of a government that has nothing to hide. >> steve, thoughts about this as it's all shaping up here. >> i thought that was the strongest section of secretary kerry's comments today.

he very clearly laid out the fact that if the syrian regime was convinced it was the rebels that had used these weapons, they would have provided immediate access and escorted the team to verify their claims. that's not of course what happened. so they weren't interested in doing that. this has been a pretty dramatic shift in rhetoric that we've seen from the obama administration. it's not the first time that we've had proof that the chemical weapons have been used. the regime probably had better proof earlier. here you hear kerry make a case. there's been this shift in rhetoric despite the fact that we've known for quite a while that the regime has used chemical weapons. i think that indicates clearly, as maura says that we're going to war.

will this be punitive strike, something to say we told you not to do this. you did it and now we're coming after you. and, not incidentally allows the president to save face a little bit, or will this be an attempt to shape the outcome and sort of challenge the contours of the way that the war is going with some strategic objective in mind? >> charles? >> i think steve's exactly right. i think the president has two choices. can he do a demonstration of conscience or he can do a strategic maneuver. this is not about him. it's not about his conscience, his man hood. it's not about showing the world that he's strong. this is about whether the united states is going to try to alter the course of the war. if it's not, then he shouldn't do anything. to do a strike or two that destroys a building or two would be worse than useless. when our embassies were attacked in kenya, in tanzania in 1998,

clinton came out, i think he was also with the vineyard. he lobbed a few missiles into empty tents in afghanistan and showed the world he was unserious. after that was the cole. after that was 9/11. an attack here like that will do absolutely nothing. it was outlined by general keen earlier in the show. there are assets. it's the airfields. it's air control now that gives assad the upper hand and the opportunity to win this war. and we can stop that with weapons that do not involve going over syrian airspace and involves nobody on the ground. it can be done. if obama does that, it will demonstrate a strategic idea. otherwise, it will be worse than useless. >> there are now four u.s. navy destroyers in the mediterranean.

all of them have tomahawk cruise missiles that could be used here. and strategically, if we're talking strategy to take out assad's air capability. and one of his ways to distribute chemical weapons. he does fire these rockets as we saw. but the most effective way according to experts is to use it by air power. >> right. by air power. i think that that could be one of the strategic goals, to prevent him from doing this again. but i think charles is right. the goal has to be to prevent assad from winning. i don't know if the goal has to be to help the rebels win. that's something else entirely. and i don't know if the administration wants that either. assad can't win this war. the tides seem to be turning in his favor. if it looks like it's cosmetic it's going to be worse than if he didn't do it at all. >> the president had a phone

call with the french president this weekend. >> i think the coalition of the willing was waiting there already for him to join it. >> hollaund has been pretty willing. >> obama was the unwilling in this coalition. >> i think one of the most important things the president's going to have to do is he's going to have to make a case. and this goes back to the point that charles was making. it's easy for him to make a case that describes the punishment that the unit and its partners would be meting out, harder for him to make the case that we're pursuing strategic objectives. but that's the case he's going to have to make if he decide does involve the united states here. there is this, i think, a very common sense cal question here. if we have here on the one hand, an iran backed regime, and we have al qaeda types fighting with an iran backed regime, what

does the united states stand to gain from that? i think it's too simple to say let them all kill one another. i think there's an argument to be made that they could end up fighting one another and then end up strengthened. we've seen that with other wars in the region. >> quickly, it is a bit interesting to hear kerry and president obama's white house talk about stopping of weapons of mass destruction without definitive proof that they've been used. it's pretty interesting after all those campaign speeches. >> i agree. and it's also interesting that after denouncing the bush administration for eight years for supposedly this illegal wars in wit bush administration had gotten the support of congress on the iraq war and on the afghan war, he now is going to start presumably an attack on syria without any support in congress, any debate in congress, and without once addressing the american people about this. that's the tragedy, from a

standing start, he's going to announce these attacks. instead, he's undermined any idea of america engaging himself. he gave a speech a few months ago in which he said this war, the war on terror must end, as if it's all over, the tide of war is receding. he has to address the american people. he has to enlist the congress. and that means he has to stay on this in a sustained military campaign or rhetorical or it will be less than useful and useless. >> the president has not talked to speaker boehner as of late this afternoon. next up, the uproar over voter id laws. alert.

the beach on your tv is much closer than it appears. dive into labor day with up to 50% off hotels at travelocity.

>> this morning affirm that

the struggle must and will go on in the cause of our nation's quest for justice. until every eligible american has the chance to exercise his or her right to vote unencumbered by discriminatory or unneeded procedures, rules, or practices. >> this is deeply depressing to see the chief law enforcement officer in the country use partisan politics and that's all it is to drive a wedge between americans base on race and ethnicity. it's really sad because we have come a long way. >> bret: well today at the white house president obama met with civil rights leaders preparing to mark the 50th anniversary of the march on washington. he will give a big speech wednesday at the lincoln memorial what about this, we are back with the panel.

this is a big issue this week for these black leaders. >> including some of eric holder's speeches you have to show i.d. look, it should be totally uncontroversial to have to show i.d. to vote. whether that means that the states should take it upon themselves to provide more funding to make sure that everybody has the opportunity to get ids, that's, i think, an open question. voting is such a fundamental right that even in times of tight budgets you would find some conservatives who would be willing to go along with a plan that would ensure that everybody has those ids. but the idea that you should be be able to show up at a polling booth on the dave the election and not be registered and not have to produce an i.d. and actually then vote, i think it's crazy. >> bret: photo i.d. as i said is required to get in government buildings, courts board a plane, buy alcohol. buy cigarettes. >> voter i.d. laws when polled are quite popular.

you have to put this in the bigger context if the sum total of these laws that aren't just showing photo i.d. at the laws, curtailing early voting, same day registration, same day polling opening. if the sum total of them are perceived as making it harder for one group of people to vote, lower income, minority, young people, registration on college campuses is curtailed in some of these states' efforts, it adds up to something that is colin powell talked about in this weekend could produce a backlash against the republican party. >> bret: with the justice -- >> -- they do this at their peril at the same time that i think the legal effort that the obama administration is undertaking probably is doomed in the courts. >> bret: justice department filing against the state of texas. >> look at this in context all happening on the autoth anniversary on the march on washington when the politics of it, the jim crow laws, the voter restrictions had a huge impact on black americans. all of that changed and black american life has changed radically is the

biggest issue in african-american life today the voter i.d. law? is that going to alter the course of society black america the inner cities, the terrible standard in the schools, the breakdown of the family and all of that? it's nostalgia of a movement that's intellectually bankrupt. >> bret: are these voter i.d. laws upheld or not. >> they will be upheld and they have been already in the highest court. >> they will be upheld there will be a political problem. >> they will be upheld, they should be. >> bret: that's it for the panel. american hero with a story to tell. [ male announcer ] america's favorite endless shrimp is back!

people wait for this promotion all year long. and now there are endless ways to love it... from crispy to spicy to savory. [ man ] you cannot make a bad choice. [ male announcer ] red lobster's endless shrimp! as ch as you like, y way you like! you can have your shrimp. and you can eat it, too. [ male announcer ] try our new soy wasabi grilled shrimp or classic garlic shmp scampi. all just $15.99 for a limited time. it's gonna be a hit this year. [ male announcer ] red lobster's endless shri is now! we would neveriss endless shrimp. [ male announcer ] but it won't last forever. so come and sea food differently.

army staff sergeant to risked his life to save fellow soldiers during a fire fight in afghanistan has been awarded the medal of honor. dan springer tells us even though this hero is home now, is he still fighting a battle. >> army staff sergeant ty

carter is an american hero, still haunted by what he could not do in his bravest hour. carter is the fourth living recipient of the congressional medal of honor from the war in afghanistan. i would never wish for someone to receive this medal. in order to receive this medal, your family is pretty much dying around you, everything is getting destroyed. outpost keating in the mountains near the pakistan border attacked by militants. he ran ammunition to fellow soldiers. he killed several of the enemy and he heroically risked his life to give first aid to specialist stephan mace who laid gravely wounded in the open. after slowing the bleeding and burning a tourniquet on his leg he carried him to shelter. after the day long battle as he was going into surgery stephan mayes died.

yet his mother remains grateful for cartedder's courage. >> ty gave my son peace. he gave him safety. he gave him he allowed stephan have the thoughts that he would be coming home to us. coming home to his family in all 8 americans died and 25 injured in the battle. one of the deadliest of the war. carter still battling the memories. his wife shannon helps him through the post-traumatic stress. >> sometimes it's just you hold his hand or give some some comforting words. you just have to be a person there to love him. >> but sergeant ty carter is growing more comfortable talking about his ptsd and plans on staying in the military to help take away any lingering stigma and no doubt serve as inspiration for all who wear the uniform. in seattle, dan springer, fox news. >> bret: thanks for inviting us into your home tonight. that is it for this

"special report," fair, balanced and inspired by staff sergeant carter and soldiers like him, truly unafraid. this is the fox report, tonight, of the evidence of a chemical weapons attack in syria is undeniable. that from secretary of state john kerry. now, he says there must be consequences. ist warships in striking distance of syria. >> united states is looking at all options. >> president obama believes there must be accountability for those who would use the world's most heinous weapons now syria is threatening to strike back as united nations inspectors dodge sniper fire at the